Living in Wakayama
In Wakayama, rents across existing tenancies average €6.29 per m² a month (2023).
Wakayama's unemployment stood at 4.03% at the end of 2020. In March 2024, annual PM2.5 reached 10.2 µg/m³.
Higher unemployment than 64% of Japanese cities that publish it and dirtier air than 88% of Japanese cities that publish it.
Which Japan-wide rules apply when you move to Wakayama?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
Japan's Housing and Land Survey monthly-rent measure excludes security deposits, key money/right money and common-area charges. The Ministry of Land says deposit terms vary by regional custom; these sources provide context, not a comparable city-level distribution. Statistics Bureau glossary (2018) · MLIT rental-housing Q&A.
How much does it cost to rent in Wakayama?
Average net cold rent is about 6.29 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges.
Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.
- Average net rent (nettokalt): 6.29 EUR/m²/month · www.e-stat.go.jp16
Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten. The others are published prices.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 32.03 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | NTT FLET'S 100 Mbps fixed internet12Official · national market |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 246.1 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2022 | Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v229Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 3.37 EUR | 31 Dec 2022 | Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v229Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 21.56 EUR/month | 30 Sept 2026 | docomo mini 10GB3Official · national market |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 201.7 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2022 | Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v229Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Housing vacancy rate | 19.87 % | 31 Oct 2023 | 2023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status1Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 6.29 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €6.27 — about the same | 31 Dec 2023 | www.e-stat.go.jp16Official |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 315.7 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2023 | Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura6Official |
Is Wakayama a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
What does a 60 m² flat cost?
About 377 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of about 6.29 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.
Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.
Work and income
What is the unemployment rate in Wakayama?
The unemployment rate is about 4 % (October 2020).
- Unemployment rate: 4.03 % · 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)24
Wakayama 4.0%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public employment offices | 1 count | 15 Sept 2026 | MHLW — Hello Work nationwide location list10Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 309.5 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | www.e-stat.go.jp17Official |
| Unemployment rate | 4.03 %country median 3.8% | 31 Dec 2020 | 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表)24Official |
What does a salary buy in Wakayama?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesInternetMobile
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | outside the model's range |
| Rent, 60 m²€6.29/m² · official · e-stat.go.jp · 2023-12-31 | − €377 |
| Public transport passnot published for this city | — |
| Utilities, 85 m²€202 · market price · Global Cost of Living · 2022-12-31 | − €202 |
| Internet€32 · official · NTT FLET'S 100 Mbps fixed internet · 2026-09-30 | − €32 |
| Mobile plan€22 · official · docomo mini 10GB · 2026-09-30 | − €22 |
| Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish | — |
Public employment offices in Wakayama
MHLW lists 1 public employment office in Wakayama (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.
Hello Work — Public employment service
The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GP practices | 221 count | 1 Jun 2026 | 医療情報ネット clinics facility and specialty CSV 2026-06-0120Official |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 residents | 15.25 per 1,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | Japan official municipality health statistics 20247Official |
| Hospital beds per 100,000 residents | 1,525 beds per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | Japan official municipality health statistics 20247Official |
| Hospitals | 36 count | 1 Jun 2026 | 医療情報ネット hospitals facility CSV21Official |
| Pharmacies | 192 count | 1 Jun 2026 | 医療情報ネット pharmacies CSV22Official |
| Physicians per 1,000 residents | 4.58 per 1,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | Japan official municipality health statistics 20248Official |
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 457.8 per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | Japan official municipality health statistics 20248Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Wakayama when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 448.4 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | 令和7年の犯罪情勢 / 令和7年の犯罪情勢 統計表, 図表1-5-219Official · regional context |
Mobility and administration
Wakayama's nearest airport was KIX, 23 km away and offered 57 direct destinations.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct destinations from the nearest major airport | 57 count | 3 Aug 2026 | OpenFlights13Official |
| Destinations from nearest airport | 69 count | 2024 | Unique direct scheduled destination endpoints for the nearest scheduled-service airport in the complete 97-airport MLIT universe; domestic endpoints come from the official 2024 annual route table and international endpoints from the official 2024 summer and winter direct scheduled-flight tables.15Official |
| Distance to the nearest major airport | 23 km | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports14Official |
| Nearest major airport (IATA code) | KIX | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports14Official |
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for Wakayama. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
Japanese Language Education Program for Foreigners Living in Japan — State Language Course
Agency for Cultural Affairs
For foreigners living in Japan.
Climate and air quality
Monthly mean temperature moved from 6.2°C in January to 27.2°C in July. Wakayama's monthly precipitation totalled 48.7 mm in January and 175.8 mm in July. Wakayama's average monthly sunshine was 135.8 hours in January and 206.1 hours in July.
Is the air quality good in Wakayama?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 10.2 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
- PM2.5 — annual mean: 10.22 µg/m³ · MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 和歌山市11
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
hours
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
Wakayama 10.2
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 10.22 µg/m³country median 8.4 | 31 Mar 2024 | MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 和歌山市11Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 9.8 · Feb 10.7 · Mar 14.3 · Apr 19.7 · May 24.3 · Jun 27.1 · Jul 31.1 · Aug 32.6 · Sep 29 · Oct 23.4 · Nov 17.9 · Dec 12.5 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山9Official · parent municipality |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 2.9 · Feb 3.1 · Mar 5.8 · Apr 10.7 · May 15.6 · Jun 20.1 · Jul 24.3 · Aug 25.1 · Sep 21.5 · Oct 15.6 · Nov 9.9 · Dec 5.1 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山9Official · parent municipality |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 6.2 · Feb 6.7 · Mar 9.9 · Apr 15.1 · May 19.7 · Jun 23.2 · Jul 27.2 · Aug 28.4 · Sep 24.9 · Oct 19.3 · Nov 13.8 · Dec 8.6 °C | 31 Dec 2020 | JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山9Official · parent municipality |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 48.7 · Feb 62 · Mar 96.9 · Apr 98.4 · May 146.6 · Jun 183.5 · Jul 175.8 · Aug 101.8 · Sep 181.3 · Oct 160.8 · Nov 95.9 · Dec 62.7 mm | 31 Dec 2020 | JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山9Official · parent municipality |
| Average sunshine by month | Jan 135.8 · Feb 143.1 · Mar 179.6 · Apr 196.9 · May 207.6 · Jun 157.6 · Jul 206.1 · Aug 239.9 · Sep 173.2 · Oct 169.9 · Nov 147.7 · Dec 135.4 hours | 31 Dec 2020 | JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山9Official · parent municipality |
Population and city profile
Wakayama had a population density of 1,708.1 people per km² at the end of 2020.
How many people live in Wakayama?
The published population was 352,941 people in 2024. Source: e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度5
By nationality
National passport98.6%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| City area | 208.8 km² | 3 Aug 2026 | 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)23Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 1.43 % | 3 Aug 2026 | 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民 ÷ 総計)26Official |
| Foreign residents | 5,008 people | 3 Aug 2026 | 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民)26Official |
| Population density | 1,708 people/km² | 31 Dec 2020 | 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表)25Official |
| Population | 352,941 people | 31 Dec 2024 | e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度5Official |
International community in Wakayama
Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.
Citizenship
Persons in the official 2020 Population Census Basic Complete Tabulation on Population and Households; sex-total population by source-native nationality category. · 2020
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 356,729 | 100.0% |
| Japanese | 352,193 | 98.7% |
| Foreigner | 3,045 | 0.9% |
| Nationality not reported | 1,491 | 0.4% |
| Republic of Korea | 1,092 | 0.3% |
| People's Republic of China | 680 | 0.2% |
| Socialist Republic of Viet Nam | 352 | 0.1% |
| Republic of the Philippines | 265 | 0.1% |
| Kingdom of Thailand | 256 | 0.1% |
| Others | 209 | 0.1% |
| Republic of Indonesia | 53 | 0.0% |
Show 6 more groups
| Published group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United States of America | 53 | 0.0% |
| Federative Republic of Brazil | 33 | 0.0% |
| Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal | 20 | 0.0% |
| India | 13 | 0.0% |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 13 | 0.0% |
| Republic of Peru | 6 | 0.0% |
Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52 years | 31 Dec 2026 | 2026 Resident Basic Register, population by age group by municipality (total residents)2Official |
Alternatives for people set on Wakayama
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Tokushima as a Wakayama alternative in the same region
58 km away, better on 2 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3.
- Hospital beds, per 100k: 2,327.0 Tokushima vs 1,524.9 Wakayama+53%
- Annual PM2.5: 7.3 µg/m³ Tokushima vs 10.2 µg/m³ Wakayama−29%
- Rent: €6.72/m² Tokushima vs €6.29/m² Wakayama+7%
- Residents: 244,830 Tokushima vs 352,941 Wakayama−31%
- Empty flats: 18.1% Tokushima vs 19.9% Wakayama−9%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 472 Tokushima vs 448 Wakayama+5%
- Median gross pay, region: €316 Tokushima vs €310 Wakayamasame level
Takasaki as a Wakayama alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 419 km, better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Foreign residents: 2.2% Takasaki vs 1.4% Wakayama+57%
- Rent: €7.05/m² Takasaki vs €6.29/m² Wakayama+12%
- Empty flats: 13.9% Takasaki vs 19.9% Wakayama−30%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 700 Takasaki vs 448 Wakayamano percentage
- Unemployment: 3.5% Takasaki vs 4.0% Wakayama−14%
- Hospital beds, per 100k: 1,099.6 Takasaki vs 1,524.9 Wakayama−28%
- Annual PM2.5: 8.8 µg/m³ Takasaki vs 10.2 µg/m³ Wakayama−14%
Cities near Wakayama
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Rent
- 4.07 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2018-12-31
- Rent
- 4.55 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 6.24 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 5.11 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 4.6 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 4.73 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
- Rent
- 5.78 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2023-12-31
Alternative cities in Japan
Other cities in Japan to compare with Wakayama, nearest in population first.
How does Wakayama compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Wakayama's.
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
How many people live in Wakayama?
The published population was 352,941 people in 2024. Source: e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度.
How much does it cost to rent in Wakayama?
Average net cold rent is about 6.29 EUR/m² per month (2023 Housing and Land Survey), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 440 EUR a month before utilities. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.
Is the air quality good in Wakayama?
The annual PM2.5 mean is about 10.2 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 和歌山市.
What is the unemployment rate in Wakayama?
The unemployment rate is about 4 % (October 2020). Source: 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表).
What is the typical salary around Wakayama?
The median gross salary is 309.5 EUR/month. Source: www.e-stat.go.jp.
Is Wakayama a good place to live?
Wakayama may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near Wakayama?
Minato, Misaki-cho (Osaka), Kainan, Iwade, Hannan are near Wakayama. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
How many people are in the Japanese citizenship group in Wakayama?
The official citizenship distribution records 352,193 people (98.7%) in the source-defined population for 2020. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Wakayama, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 8d1ebfd0aa8183809f519b838c9214cc]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/wakayama/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_wakayama-japan-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_02f2b81428d0,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Wakayama, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {8d1ebfd0aa8183809f519b838c9214cc},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/wakayama/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Wakayama, Japan: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/jp/wakayama/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 8d1ebfd0aa8183809f519b838c9214cc; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- 2023 Housing and Land Survey, Table 1-2: Housing by occupancy status e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-17
- 2026 Resident Basic Register, population by age group by municipality (total residents) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-24
- docomo mini 10GB docomo.ne.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- e-Stat / Statistics Bureau of Japan 2020 Population Census table 44-1 nationality e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-01
- e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 — A2301 住民基本台帳人口(総数), 調査年 2024年度 e-Stat 社会・人口統計体系 市区町村データ 基礎データ(オリジナル)0000020101 · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-18
- Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling — Japan, prefecture, shi, ku, machi and mura Housing and Land Survey 2023, Table 112-3-2: Monthly Rent of Dwelling by Type of Dwelling · e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-09-12
- Japan official municipality health statistics 2024 mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-08-13
- Japan official municipality health statistics 2024 mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-08-13
- JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals — 和歌山 JMA 1991-2020 surface climate normals · data.jma.go.jp · checked 2026-07-26
- MHLW — Hello Work nationwide location list MHLW · mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
Show 26 more sources
- MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 — 和歌山市 MOE Japan Air Pollution Monitoring Report FY2023 · env.go.jp · checked 2026-07-26
- NTT FLET'S 100 Mbps fixed internet flets.com · checked 2026-09-15
- OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
- OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
- Unique direct scheduled destination endpoints for the nearest scheduled-service airport in the complete 97-airport MLIT universe; domestic endpoints come from the official 2024 annual route table and international endpoints from the official 2024 summer and winter direct scheduled-flight tables. mlit.go.jp · checked 2026-07-15
- www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
- www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
- www.e-stat.go.jp e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-27
- 令和7年の犯罪情勢 / 令和7年の犯罪情勢 統計表, 図表1-5-2 npa.go.jp · checked 2026-09-23
- 医療情報ネット clinics facility and specialty CSV 2026-06-01 mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-18
- 医療情報ネット hospitals facility CSV mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- 医療情報ネット pharmacies CSV mhlw.go.jp · checked 2026-09-15
- 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan) gsi.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 就業状態等基本集計 第1-2表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省統計局 (e-Stat, 国勢調査2020 第1-1表) e-stat.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- 総務省自治行政局 (住民基本台帳, 外国人住民) soumu.go.jp · checked 2026-08-03
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1345889 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q1358900 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q579623 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q657843 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q697002 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q819670 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
- Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q841309 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.